Duncan Plaza Homeless Re-Housing Initiative November 21 – December 21, 2007 A monumental humanitarian achievement unprecedented anywhere in America!

What we have accomplished: 239 people were living homeless in Duncan Plaza on Nov people joined this group between Dec. 1 and Dec people have been assisted by UNITY & member agencies to move out of Duncan Plaza within one month.  27 of these people have already moved into their own apartments.  222 of these people are currently housed temporarily in hotel rooms while UNITY and its member agencies search for apartments for them.

Two National Best Practices Used in Duncan Plaza Homeless Re-Housing Initiative Making Wisest Use of Scarce Resources For clients with serious mental or physical disabilities: Permanent Supportive Housing = affordable apartments coupled with ongoing tenant-based services  proven in research studies to be cost-effective solution to homelessness for vulnerable people  services aimed at stabilizing clients, helping them be good tenants, keeping them housed, improving their self-sufficiency For homeless clients without disabilities: Rapid Rehousing = short-term rent assistance coupled with case management aimed at achieving self- sufficiency (budgeting, job search, etc.)

What Did it take to Rehouse Duncan Plaza residents? 20 street outreach workers.  Perform individualized client assessments of mental and physical disabilities, strengths and needs; provide supportive services to clients with disabilities and persuade them to accept housing; transport clients out of Duncan Plaza into 8 low-cost hotels 24 housing search case managers  Recruit 150 landlords, assess clients’ housing needs and preferences, transport clients to look at and choose apartments, perform apartment inspections, negotiate leases, assist clients with moving in and acquiring furniture and household and personal supplies 44 stabilization case managers  Perform more detailed client assessments and create client plans; visit clients in their hotels and apartments to ensure their needs are being met; link them to mental health care, health care, job search and other programs; do whatever it takes to keep clients stably housed.

Our Government Partners  Louisiana Dept of Social Services: short-term rent assistance, hotel vouchers, rent and security deposits, housing search case managers  U.S. Dept of Housing and Urban Development: ongoing salaries of outreach workers and UNITY Housing Link housing search program, ongoing funding of the UNITY Continuum of Care  Metropolitan Human Services District: short-term case managers to stabilize people with mental and physical disabilities in their hotel rooms and apartments for 8 weeks  City of New Orleans: hotel vouchers, case manager supervisor, support for UNITY Continuum of Care Government agencies who have already committed to providing resources for this initiative:

Our Non-Profit Partners UNITY of Greater New Orleans and UNITY Welcome Home Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans In This Together Covenant House Alternatives Living Community Service Center House of Ruth NOPD Homeless Assistance Collaborative Odyssey House McCaleb Foundation Jefferson Parish Human Services District First Evangelist Community Development Corp. Responsibility House Resources for Human Development Louisiana Public Health Institute Emergency shelters providing safety-net shelter are:  New Orleans Mission  Ozanam Inn  Salvation Army Principal agencies moving clients out of Duncan Plaza into hotels and apartments:

Many churches, organizations, and volunteers helped end homelessness by providing meals to Duncan Plaza residents in their hotel rooms and apartments: Ozanam Inn First Evangelist Community Development Corp. Celebration Church New Orleans Mission Journey Christian Church Campus Crusade for Christ Edgewater Baptist Church Holy Ghost Church St. John’s Catholic Church Community Church Unitarian- Universalist Trinity Episcopal Church Mobile Fishes and Loaves Victory Gospel Chapel Jefferson Parish Council on Aging Kingdom Church Second Zion Baptist Church Just the Right Attitude Patty McRae volunteer group Ann Duffy volunteer group Ann Redell volunteer group Christine Breault volunteer group Belinda Henderson volunteer group Beverly Froese volunteer group Helen Cannon volunteer group Holly Reynolds volunteer group Yvonne Lopez volunteer group

Donations Needed Tables and Chairs Unused Mattresses and Box springs Bed Linens Bath Towels Hygiene Supplies Cleaning supplies Bed Frames Lamps Small Household Appliances Other Kitchen Appliances (refrigerators, stoves, microwaves) Kitchen utensils  Dishes  Glassware  Pots  Pans Televisions and Radios

To help rebuild our city, New Orleanians have accomplished what seemed to be impossible: End the homelessness of 249 Duncan Plaza residents in just 30 days. Now we need the continued involvement of the entire community to: 1. Help resettle each Duncan Plaza resident into their own apartment with the furniture and personal supplies they need, 2. Ask national congressional leaders for Permanent Supportive Housing rent subsidies for those with serious disabilities, and 3. Keep the momentum going as we work to end homelessness throughout our city!